K-pop star T.O.P of Big Bang takes to Instagram to apologise to fans
- Rapper, 31, had been given suspended 10-month jail sentence – over earlier 2016 offences – while carrying out his compulsory military service
K-pop star T.O.P, who is a member of the boy band Big Bang, has expressed his regret for disappointing his fans in a message on his Instagram account after being discharged from military service on Saturday.
The rapper, 31, whose real name is Choi Seung-hyun, received a suspended 10-month jail sentence in 2017 – while carrying out his compulsory national service – after being convicted of smoking marijuana on a number of occasions in 2016.
In his post to his 9.3 million Instagram followers on Sunday, he included photographs showing him at a meeting with about 200 of his fans in Hannam-dong, Seoul, after finishing his national service.
He also expressed his gratitude to his fans in his post.
“Even though I am not proud of myself, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the fans who made [the] time and effort to share this moment with me,” he said.
“I will make sure to reflect [on what happened to me] and [will try to make amends for] the hurt and disappointment I caused you.”
He was originally given a job as a conscripted police officer as part of his alternative military service in February 2017.